"It was obviously and clearly the legislative intent for that money to go to the Matthew Reardon Center, and it didn't happen, and we want to make sure it does happen," Carter said.

The dispute dates back to May, when Perdue vetoed or redirected dozens of items in the budget for the current state spending year, which ends June 30.

Perdue's redirects did not remove money from the budget. They simply gave agencies more leeway on how to spend the funds. The money intended for the Matthew Reardon Center is just one of several items that have sparked anger among lawmakers who argue that Perdue is usurping their power over state spending.

The funds were originally targeted to help the center expand its outreach and education programs, said Executive Director Helen Waters.

The center educates children with neurological problems that affect their ability to communicate - mostly children suffering from autism or similar illnesses.

Currently, the private institution has a classroom for students with severe problems and one for those with relatively mild cases. But there is no classroom for children who fall between those two levels, Waters said.

The state funding also would have provided for an extra outreach worker. Currently, the lone employee devoted to that program helps schools in Candler and Screven counties work with children who have neurological problems.

Instead, the Department of Human Resources decided to take bids on a proposal that seemed to entail a broader outreach program and little, if any, of the educational approaches used by the center, Waters said. The center only learned the details of the state's revised approach days before bids were due.

"We ended up passing on it," she said.

Walker told state lawmakers that the agency decided to take bids for the work under instructions from Perdue.

The governor's redirect message, which covered several items in budget for the Department of Human Resources, cited an attorney general's opinion saying the General Assembly could not earmark funds for facilities like the Matthew Reardon Center.